Moringa Leaf Powder: Ways to Use It in Everyday Cooking

Moringa is also called the drumstick tree. In Indian kitchens the pods go into sambar and curries, and the leaves are cooked like greens. A leaf powder lets you use the leaf without a fresh supply, and keeps well in the pantry.

The plant

Moringa oleifera is a fast-growing tree widely grown across India and other warm countries. The long, slender pods are known as drumsticks, and the small, rounded leaves are cooked in many regional dishes. In Tamil kitchens the leaves are murungai keerai, and in Hindi the pods are sahijan ki phali.

What the powder tastes like

The flavour is green, earthy and a little bitter, closer to spinach than to anything sweet. A small amount goes a long way, so start with a pinch and add more only if you like it. Our Moringa Leaf Powder contains a single ingredient: moringa leaf, dried and ground, sold in a 150 g jar.

Ideas

• Stir into dal or soup at the end of cooking
• Knead into roti or paratha dough
• Add to idli or dosa batter
• Blend into a smoothie with banana or mango
• Mix into yoghurt or raita
• Sprinkle over eggs or rice
• Fold into a green chutney with coriander or mint

A simple moringa paratha

Mix a teaspoon of moringa powder into about a cup of whole wheat flour with a pinch of salt and a little oil. Knead with water into a soft dough, rest it for twenty minutes, then roll and cook on a hot pan as you would any paratha. The dough turns a deep green, and the flavour is gentle once cooked.

A small tip

Add it off the heat where you can, and mix it with a little liquid first to avoid clumps. Heat for too long dulls the colour and brings out bitterness.

Moringa in your cup

If you would rather drink it, our Moringa Spice Tea and Minty Moringa Botanical Tea are tea-bag blends built around moringa leaf, with spices and mint.

Storage

Keep the jar closed, in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Shelf life is 18 months. If you are pregnant, nursing or taking medication, speak to your doctor before using any herbal product.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions